The Hidden Life Of Renaissance Art

• Why does Mercury have winged boots?
• Are pearls merely decorative? Why would one of the Graces have them in her hair?
• Why should Venus appear pregnant?
• What is the significance of the plant silhouetted above Venus's head?
• Who is cupid, and why does he wear a blindfold?

The art of the Renaissance is teeming with hidden life that is often only visible to the initiated. Are you privy to its secrets? Does the idea of learning what some of the most famous paintings in the world really mean intrigue you? If so, this illuminating book will open your eyes to the fascinating stories related by Renaissance masterpieces, tales that tell of eternal damnation, of murdered wives, and of aristocratic spies, that speak volumes about human fears and frailties, and that convey profound philosophical concepts. This absorbing work of reference is also an invaluable tool that will teach you how to decipher artists' symbolic messages for yourself.

• Fifty Renaissance masterpieces decoded and explained
• Encompasses the Early, High and Northern Renaissance
• Reveals the secrets, mores and codes of the Renaissance world